What Rose West’s ‘disruptive’ life in prison is really like now, according to her lawyer

Right now, Rose West is serving life in prison. Between 1967 and 1987, she and her husband Fred West tortured, assaulted and killed an unknown number of women at their home.

The case is being spoken about once again, as Netflix has released Fred and Rose West: A British Horror Story. The series details the crimes that took place at 25 Cromwell Street in Gloucester.

In total, 12 victims of Fred and Rose West were found. But it’s believed there may be many more. At first Fred West said his wife Rose was completely innocent, and the crimes were committed by him, without her knowledge. But, it became clear Rose was involved.

Ultimately, Rose West was found guilty of ten counts of murder which included her 16-year-old daughter Heather, and her eight-year-old stepdaughter, Charmaine. Fred West never faced a trial, as he took his own life in prison, in 1995. Rose West was sentenced to life in prison. However, she has always maintained her innocence, and has appealed her conviction.

via SWNS

Rose West will spend the rest of her life in prison, so what is her life like now?

Rose is currently serving her life sentence at HM Prison New Hall, a female and juvenile prison in West Yorkshire. Lawyer Leo Goatley became involved with the Wests in 1992. He spoke to Cosmo about his former client Rose West, and what her life is like now.

Leo in the documentary, via Netflix

Most Read

Paul is apparently dating someone after MAFS Australia and erm, you might recognise her

A deep dive into Carina Mirabile’s many, many attempts at fame before MAFS Australia

The creepy real reason Netflix removed this Black Mirror episode over the weekend

He called her a “good client” and recalled her as being easy to work with. “Sometimes she would be withdrawn and she would be careful about what she did say, because I’ve no doubt she had a lot of secrets that she didn’t want to divulge, but obviously she wanted a sympathetic defence,” he said of when the trial was taking place.

The lawyer recalled Rose only cried twice throughout the 12 years of knowing her. Once when she was arrested for the murder of daughter Heather, and a second time when she was being taken down to the cells after being convicted of ten murders.

Speaking of the life Rose West has now, Goatley described it as up and down. Her cell was even lit on fire once. Inmates tried to set the cell on fire, and Rose has had “problems” in the prison kitchens.

via SWNS

“If she wrote to me, it was normally about things happening in the prison where she was,” he said. “They would have these routine cell searches, and she’d have to move all her things out of her cell, which she found very disruptive. Also, the prison regime changes over time.

“Initially, she was on a wing, and they were all lifers, so they felt fairly settled and had routines. They then brought younger women prisoners in, who were in for 12 months, 18 months, who were pretty wild and were out for fights to show who had the bragging rights, this sort of thing.”

He said he “wouldn’t be surprised” if Rose was a “model prisoner” but did admit Rose struggled when classes at the prison stopped. Rose was apparently a keen sewer, but classes stopped. “[Rose] wasn’t frightened,” Goatley said. “I think it’s probably more settled now.”

Goatley admitted his last letter to Rose was to tell her he thought she was guilty of the crimes, despite her denying them. He didn’t get a reply.

Fred and Rose West: A British Horror Story is available on Netflix now. For all the latest Netflix news, drops and memes like The Holy Church of Netflix on Facebook.